Thread: Wedge Razor

Personally, I think thebigspendur is correct. It's all down to personal preference and ability. If you use a heavy wedge all the time, you'll have more confidence in that blade. A sudden switch to a 5/8ths full hollow will probably result in a poorer shave, but use it regularly and you'll get used to it and achieve the same results you had with the wedge.

We all, subconsciously, have our preferences. I think it also applies to pre shave routine, brushes, creams or soaps, stones and strops.

It's the massive variables that make this hobby (addiction?) so interesting. If we all reached a certain point and that was that, nowhere to go, nothing to learn, we'd get bored and it would just be shaving. It would just become a chore again and we'd all be just as sad as those poor, unfortunate souls that still use a crappy cartridge and canned goo.

We are truly blessed!!

All IMHO obviously!

User and the hone job on the blade, it doesn't matter which grind , I use them all and they all cut the whiskers, look to user technique first, then reevaluate your edge Tc

Originally Posted by wayne394

Personally, I think thebigspendur is correct. It's all down to personal preference and ability. If you use a heavy wedge all the time, you'll have more confidence in that blade. A sudden switch to a 5/8ths full hollow will probably result in a poorer shave, but use it regularly and you'll get used to it and achieve the same results you had with the wedge.

We all, subconsciously, have our preferences. I think it also applies to pre shave routine, brushes, creams or soaps, stones and strops.

It's the massive variables that make this hobby (addiction?) so interesting. If we all reached a certain point and that was that, nowhere to go, nothing to learn, we'd get bored and it would just be shaving. It would just become a chore again and we'd all be just as sad as those poor, unfortunate souls that still use a crappy cartridge and canned goo.

We are truly blessed!!

All IMHO obviously!

you're absolutely right! All of the variables are addictive. So many things to change, adjust, buy... I love the feel and heft of a wedge, but also love the audible feedback of a full hollow. This is one hobby (addiction) I don't think I will ever get bored with. Just wish I had discovered it 20 years sooner.

I agree that the bigger heavier ones are more forgiving of technique that's sub-par. Until I got one, I was struggling, but after using it, I realized it too took adjustment to learn, and once I used it for a week, I was able to focus more on technique and learned to shave with the hollow grinds equally well. Now I usually stick with a blade for at least 4 or 5 shaves until I remaster it, then switch. As a result, I find all my shaves are getting better. Mind you, I'm at about 2 1/2 years into this, and still having more fun.

It all comes down to preference! I generally prefer a heavy grind, but there are days that I am feeling "hollow" and go in that direction. I have a few of each grind type and select based on mood...and get about the same quality of shave every day. The only real variable seems to be me

I agree 100% I wish I had discovered this earlier I personally like the wedge because it is more forgiving but I still keep on chatting with my hollow grounds to get used to them. Its especially hard for me since I shave my head and can't see what's going in the back area. I am consistently doing better and get a bb shave which I enjoy with maybe one or two nicks. I hate the whole disposable razor idea they're expensive, irritate my skin and I also nicked myself with them. Plus I get great satisfaction buying old razors and honing them until I can shave with them.

I personally like 1/2 or greater hollow grinds because I get more feedback from them; therefore, I get a better shave because I can make immediate adjustments as I shave. I can get an equally good shave off my 1/4 hollows as I get from my full and extra full hollows but I have to pay a little bit more attention while I'm shaving due to the lack of audible and tactile feedback. I haven't noticed that my 1/4 hollows are more forgiving for me. In fact, I will nick myself on my 1/4 hollows before I nick myself on my other razors, but that could be because I use my more hollow razors more often. If you have a chance, I would see if someone near you would let you use either one first (I'm assuming you asked the question because you're trying to decide which type to buy). But like wayne394 and Haroldg48 said, I would use them for a week or so before making a decision. My experience with my first impressions is that they are rarely accurate after a short learning period. In fact, my first impression of all my razors and brushes is different than my impressions now.

Use of a wedge on grays is going to depend on the types of grays you have. Some guys' grays are thinner and wispier than their "normal" whiskers. Other guys' grays are thicker and tougher. The use of a wedge on the latter can be advantageous. That said, if you're shaving daily, or every other day, it shouldn't really matter.

I think the forgiveness a lot of guys (myself included) experience at the edge of a wedge has almost everything to do with us and almost nothing to do with the blade itself. I'll use a wedge when I shave full beard growth. One swipe and I'm clean and I love it. It handles getting in there better than the hollows...particularly important where you're keeping side burns, goatee, etc. But once the bevel is to the skin, they cut the same.

I theorize that when we're new we find wedges easier to manage because they are, in fact, harder to manage. We all know that a major cause of irritation and razor burn is pressure during the shave. The weight of the wedge, I believe, forces us to focus on technique, driving us away from the cartridge induced habit of putting pressure on our faces to shave. Thereby we experience good shaves with far less irritation. After we learn to control the blade in this fashion it is easy to get good shaves with hollow blades.

I'm to the point now, where I have to focus more when I use a wedge for daily shaves, because I have to keep the weight of the blade OFF my face...and I believe that we inadvertently train ourselves in this way when we use a wedge early on. Then later, when we use lighter blades we've already learned the rule of no pressure.

FWIW. YMMV. et. al.

Peace,
Jim